Being from a small town and having the pension to travel the world and gain an understanding of new perspectives, people often warn me that I am going to "get hurt" or "killed". This shocks me every single time. For one, it shocks me because it is incredibly short-sighted and honestly rude to say to someone. Two, it shocks me because I had no idea that so many people buy into the "mean world" phenomenon our bought-off media sells to the masses. If this comes off as snide, it's because I'm growing very tired of fear and xenophobia controlling the lives of the American public. I am truly shocked at how many people won't travel overseas, or even out of state, due to their fear of things that don't really exist.
The media machine is a cash cow. It runs on your loyal patronage, and by no means do the executives tend to lose their viewers to boredom. How do they keep viewers around, then, when nothing is going on? They make mountains out of mole hills, or over-dramatize a situation until mass hysteria grips their audience. When I went overseas, I did not feel the least bit unsafe nor threatened. People were not innately hateful to me because of my American heritage, nor were they all trying to mug or mutilate me. The news media, however, would have one think that going overseas is an instant death sentence. The news paints a rather hyperbolic portrait of the "mean world", with all its malicious intent pointed directly toward the American people.
Popular culture is also to blame, with films like Liam Neeson's Taken giving off a horrendous impression of overseas travel. Trust me, when I went to France, I was not instantly kidnapped and sold into a prostitution ring. Even here on American soil, while living in New York City, I never felt as if anyone was out to get me. Hint: that's because they're not.
It's true that bad things happen. This world is not a perfect place, and some people are downright evil with intent to do as much harm as possible. Alas, it is extremely rare that you will ever die as a result of homicide, a terror attack, etc. These events are so rare, yet media and popular culture would have you believe that they are astoundingly commonplace. Sadly, many people buy into this dark, dismal portrayal of the world and never set foot out their own front door. Let's put it this way: if you go looking for trouble overseas, in a big city, etc. you can easily find it. But, if you don't, it's not likely to come and seek you out, specifically. Rarely, random acts of violence do occur, but you are statistically much more likely to be murdered, sexually assaulted, etc. by someone you know and trust. Do you, then, live in fear of everyone you know? My guess is that you do not.
Bad things happen, and it's truly a shame, but we cannot let the grips of fear keep us from living our lives the way we want to. If we allow ourselves to live in bondage due to fear of terrorism and violent crime, then we admit to ourselves and the terrorists/criminals that they have won. I, personally, do not see the point in fearing things you cannot control, nor do I see the virtue in being fearful of evil. When you fear evil, you give it the power to rule over you. I'll end on a familiar note by saying this: As FDR said during World War II, "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."
